The aroma of simmering Basmati rice and cardamom make this rice dish especially enticing. At restaurants both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi I relished this dish’s subtle hint of cardamom combined with the sweet and savory tastes of plump raisins and toasted almonds. This dish will be even more delicious if you use freshly ground cardamom “How to Pulverize Cardamom Seeds,” and serve it with Homemade Plain Yogurt.
SERVES: 4 to 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
STANDING TIME: 35 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick/60 g) butter
- 11/2 cups (235 g) blanched almonds
- 1 cup (200 g) uncooked Basmati or other
- white long-grain rice, soaked for 5 minutes, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup (40 g) raisins, rinsed
- 21/2 cups (635 ml) water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Generous pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet with a lid over medium-low heat. Sauté the almond, uncovered, until they begin to brown. Add the rice and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the parsley, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes. Stir and remove from the heat. Cover and allow to cook in its own steam for 30 minutes.
- Spread the rice on a platter, garnish with the parsley, and serve immediately.
